Conspiracy
Plot After the leader of a black organization is killed, identifications lead to the arrest of a teacher. Cast Main cast * Paul Sorvino as Sergeant Phil Cerreta * Chris Noth as Detective Mike Logan * Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen * Michael Moriarty as Executive A.D.A. Benjamin Stone * Richard Brooks as A.D.A. Paul Robinette * Steven Hill as D.A. Adam Schiff Recurring cast * Carolyn McCormick as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet * Eric Bogosian as Defense Attorney Gary Lowenthal * Ben Hammer as Judge Herman Mooney * Victor Truro as Judge Douglas Spivak * George Hosmer as Court Clerk * Gloria Foster as Satima Tate Guest cast * Joe Morton as Roland Books * Cynthia Martells as Sandra Koblin * Michael Jace as Otis Cooke * Jephté Guillaume as Roland's Bodyguard * Jeff Gendelman as Mitchell Koblin * David S. Howard as Mr. Koblin * Ruth Vool as Mrs. Koblin * Harold Miller as Marcus Tate * Bill Cohen as Teacher * Count Stovall as Hospital Officer * Michael Genet as Johnson * Kirk Taylor as Dr. Reid * Walter T. Meade as Harlans * Herb Downer as Warner * James DuMont as Desk Clerk * Joseph Latimore as Black Cop * Thomas Delehanty as White Cop * Paul Eichel as Jury Foreman References *African-American Congress * * * * * * * * * *Mississippi * Quotes Background information and notes *The episode is based on a number of high-profile assassinations over the years, including: ** Two separate assassinations involving the Black civil rights movement leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. *** Martin Luther King died on April 4, 1968, after being shot and killed by James Earl Ray. King was 39 and left behind a widow and four children. Ray was a fugitive from the Missouri State Penitentiary. He was eventually arrested on June 8, 1968, in London at Heathrow Airport and extradited to the United States to be charged with the crime. On March 10, 1969, he entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 99 years in the Tennessee State Penitentiary. He later made many attempts to withdraw his guilty plea and be tried by a jury, but was unsuccessful; he died in prison on April 23, 1998, at the age of 70. (Source: ) *** Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little) was assassinated on February 21, 1965, at the age of 39. He was about to address his followers in New York when three gunmen (Thomas Hagan, Norman Butler, and Thomas Johnson) rushed the stage and fired at him. Hagan was beaten by the crowd, whilst Butler and Johnson were eventually found by the police. All three were convicted of murder in March 1966 and sentenced to life in prison. (Source: ) ** The assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. ** The murder of John Lennon committed by Mark David Chapman. ** The Huey Long assassination allegedly committed by Carl Weiss. ** Arthur Bremer's assassination attempts. * Director of photographer Constantine Makris received an Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography for a Series for this episode. He received the same award for his work on the episodes "Mad Dog" and "Stalker". * Director Ed Sherin was nominated for the same award in the category Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing in a Drama Series. * This episode won the 1993 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Episode in a TV Series. * Goof: Ben Hammer is credited as "Judge Cornell" but the nameplate shown lists his character's name as Herman Mooney. * Goof: Victor Truro is credited as "Judge Spivack" but the nameplate shown lists his character's name as "Douglas Spivak". Episode scene cards Category:L&O episodes